Means for preparing forms for multicolor printing



Oct. 2, 1934. v -1 F SPRlNGSTEAD 1,975,181

MEANS FOR PREPARING FORMS FOR MULTICOLOR PRINTING Filed May 51, 1950 1 um Hmmm l" 3 f mysan-QR. W

Patented c't. l2., 1934 MEANS FOR PREPARING FORMS FOR MULTIVCOLOR PRINTING John F. Springstead, Rye, N. Y., assigner to R.

Hoe & Co., Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York; Irving Trust Company,

temporary trustee Application May 31, 1930, Serial No. 458,662

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to multi-colorA printing and is applicable to the preparation of multi-color forms for photogravure printing of various kinds, including such work as the colored 5 supplement of a newspaper, which is a typical application and which will be described herein for the purpose of disclosing the invention, al-

though it will be understood that the means and method employed may be applied to the prepara- -tion of printing surfaces for other uses.

A practice heretofore followed in the preparation of printingv cylinders for printing a multicolor photogravure newspaper supplement, required the use of a machine for transferring the l-impression from a form cylinder that was prepared for one color, to a form cylinder being prepared for a second color, by means of an offset impression made from the first cylinder on a rubber cylinder, and then re-impressed on the second 2Olfo1m cylinder, the impression so made being used as a guide to properly locate the form on the second cylinder.

The invention herein disclosed obviates the necessity for the transfer machine, and also greatly simplifies the preparation of the forms.

In accordance with the invention, a layout frame is provided that is adapted to be placed over the forms from which the printing surfaces are prepared, and to hold a sheet of transparent `material on which -register marks' may be placed to enable several forms to be arranged inaccurate register, and means are also provided for locating the several forms in proper position on their respective printing cylinders whereby the several colors may be printed in accurate register.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple means for making up the formsfor the several colors used in multi-color photogravure printing, and marking them in such manner that carbon tissue prints taken from the forms may be position to obtain accurate register in the printing. v With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts, and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it tio-being understood that variousV changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of whatis claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention. y

The preferred embodiment of the invention isA illustrated in the accompanying drawing, where- Figure 1 shows a plan view of a layout frame made in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 shows a vertical sectional view'of the layout frame, and a portion of the make up table with which it cooperates,.the view being taken on the line 2f2 of Figure 1 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 shows a sectional view through the center of the layout frame and make up table as seen on the line 3--3 of Figure 1, the view being taken in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 4 shows an enlarged detail View of the device for holding the edge of the transparent material on which register marks are placed.

In rotary photogravure printing, it is the practice to first make up a form by placing eitherglass or film transparencies that carry either positive or negative images, on a sheet of clear plate glass whichis placed on a table having a ground glass top that may be illuminated from below to assist in positioning the transparencies. These are shifted about until they are located in proper position, where they are secured to the clear glass by a suitable adhesive. In monotone work, but one form is required, but for multi-color work, it is necessary to make up as many forms as there are colors to be used in the printing.

After the form is made up, the image is reproduced on a sensitized carbon tissue by contact printing. This tissue is then placed on the printing cylinder and located in position by means'of register marks or guide lines that have previously been placed on both the printing cylinder and the form from which the carbon tissue is made. The

tissue is squeegeed to the cylinder and the paper backing of the tissue is then removed from the cylinder which leaves a gelatin image on the surface of the cylinder. The cylinder is then etched readily attached to form cylinders in the proper and is ready to be used for printing' The forms used for newspaper supplementsv are usually the size of two newspaper pages. Four such formsare generally placed on a cylinder of a printing machine and are-s0 arranged `10o that there are two forms or four pages lengthwise of the cylinder, and two pages arrangedcircumferentially. y

A form cylinder which may have a copper surface and which may be arranged for printing eight pages, is prepared to receive the forms by drawing two lines lengthwise 'onvits periphery at diametrically opposite points, by means of 4a suitable marker that is moved alonga guide placed Y parallel to the axis of the cylinder, and four lines yll of a backing and a plurality of jtransparencies, the corresponding transparencies for each form having register marks correspondingly placed thereon, a form support through which light may be transmitted, a frame adapted to be placed successively over the forms on the support and having ruling means adapted to guide a marker for drawing register marks in the margins of the forms, said ruling means including an aperture for receiving said marker and ruling edges with which the marker may be directly engaged, means for positioning the frame in denite relation to the support, and a sheet of relatively thin transparent material secured to the frame and on "f which register marks appearing on the transparencies of one of the forms may be traced.

3. In a device for preparing a plurality of multi-color printing forms, each form consisting of a backing and a plurality of transparencies, the corresponding transparencies for each form having register marks correspondingly placed thereon, a frame adapted to be placed successively over the forms and having ruling edges adapted to guide a marker for drawing register marks in the margins of the forms, and a relatively thin transparent sheet secured to the frame and on which register marks appearing on the transparencies of one of the forms may be traced; said sheet being of a material in which holes may be easily cut to permit convenient access to the forms, and means for adjustably fastening said transparent sheet on said frame.

4. In a device for preparing a plurality of multi-color printing forms, each form comprising a plurality of transparencies, the corresponding transparencies for each form having register marks correspondingly placed thereon, a form support, a frame adapted to be placed over a form on the support and having apertures and adjacent ruling edges adapted to receive and guide a marker for drawing register marks in the margins of the forms, a sheet of relatively thin transparent material secured to the frame and on which register marks appearing on the transparencies of a form may be traced, and means for positioning the frame in denite relation to the support whereby the frame may be held in position on the form on the support and the transparencies of other forms may be aligned with their register marks in alignment with the register marks on the transparent sheet, to produce forms suitable for multi-color printing.

JOHN F. SPRINGSTEAD. 

